The Sultry Professor

"Thanks for helping me out like this. I'll make it up to you. I promise."

"Now take it easy, professor. You better not upset your husband. I don't want him chasing me out of town with a gun to my head."

"Don't worry about him, Sam. I can handle him. You'd be surprised how open he is about these things."

"Well, I sure hope so."

Sam hung up the phone, and stared across the room at the painting on the wall. This young lady was not bashful about her feelings at all, he thought. The memories of their hot moments at the conference a few months earlier came flooding back into his mind, and he felt his arousal pressing against his underwear. He wasn't sure what Sandra had in mind, but he felt sure that she had probably planned a steamy weekend with him. He wondered what her husband would be doing while Sandra attended to the task of fulfilling her promise. He couldn't wait to find out.

Sandra's proposal was waiting for him the following Monday when Sam entered his office. He looked it over, and walked down the hallway to the project engineer in charge of the process simulation project. Curtis Metzer looked up, and waved Sam in.

"What brings you to my humble quarters, Sam?"

"Oh, give it up, will you?" Sam said, smiling. He had known Curtis a long time, having hired him at his previous company some ten years earlier, and had convinced him to follow him to Falconcrest. "Would you take a look at this proposal, and give me your opinion?"

"Sure. Who is it from?" Curtis looked at the cover page. "Sandra Richards! Where did you meet this siren?"

"Siren? You know her?"

"Sure. She's a knockout, and a smart one at that. Where did you run into her?"

"At the Process Modeling conference couple of months ago."

"So, is she trying to hit you up for funding?"

"Something like that. Do you know of her work?"

"You bet. She has an unusual approach to process simulation."

"Does it work?"

"I'll say. Don't go by her looks, which are formidable. She's one hell of a smart woman."

"Tell me about her approach. What did you mean by unusual?"

"Well, she has this theory that certain chemical processes do not follow the conventional rules of fluid flow, and have to be modeled in a different way. She has proposed a very interesting, but highly controversial method of simulation of these processes."

"Would it work with our processes?"

"That's the kicker, Sam. I think it just might, and if it does, it would take care of some of the vexing problems we are having with our simulation technique. But we don't have anyone in our team who is familiar enough with her approach."

"Well, why don't we get her to do the simulation for us?"

"I'd love to, but I don't have that kind of money to give out."

"How much money do you think it will take?"

"At least a hundred grand, if we are lucky. Probably more."

"Well, take a look at her proposal and tell me if you think we should fund her."

"Glad to. When do you need to know?"

"As soon as possible. How about end of the week?"

"Sure. What's your angle in this, Sam?"

"My angle? None. I thought she was a pretty smart gal myself. She had a poster at this conference, and she had a bunch of Japanese scientists mobbing her and asking all sorts of questions."

"Japanese? Do you know where they were from?"

"No, I didn't pay attention them. Why?"

"You must be ogling her. Can you find out from her who they were?"

"I'll ask her. What's the big deal? They showed no interest in funding her. She told me they asked lots of questions but would not commit to funding further work."

"If they had that much interest in her work, we have got to lock her up, Sam. Ask her if those guys were from Dai Ichi."

"Now that you mentioned the name, I think I saw that name on the briefcase one of them was carrying."

"Sam, that company has been burying us in Asia. If they get hold of this professor and pick up on her theory, they will kill us. I don't care what's in this proposal. Can you find some money to get her tied down with us long enough for us to pick her brain?"

"You seem worried about the Japanese all of a sudden. Why haven't I heard of this before?"

"We didn't know until just about a month ago that it was Dai Ichi. I'll give you my feedback by lunch time. Sam, if you know this professor, get her on our side."

"I will. She has invited me to visit her lab week after next."

"Damn."

"Why?"

"I am on vacation. I would have loved to go see her lab with you. But I promised my wife I'd take her to Myrtle Beach this time. Well, I'll brief you before you go, so that you'll know what to look for."

"All right. Talk to you after lunch."

Sam returned to his office, slightly excited that she would be working on a project for Falconcrest, which meant he would get to see her often. He called his secretary, and asked her to arrange his trip, making sure he would be spending the weekend there. Then he called the vice president of Accounting, and asked him to prepare a check for $10,000, payable to Silver Spring University.

Curtis Metzer walked into Sam's office an hour later, and pulled out a chair.

"Sam, this proposal is fantastic. Do you have any funds to give her?"

"How much does she want?

"Fifty grand for the initial work, after we tell her what our specific requirements are. This would be essentially a summer project for her and one student. If it works, then it gets expensive."

"How expensive?"

"We are talking at least a quarter million over a couple of years. We can't afford that."

"Don't worry about that. As you said, Sandra is a smart gal. She has it all figured out."

"What? When did you talk to her?"

"At the conference. She said that if we give her some seed funding to prove her theory, she could go to NSF and get more money, with our support. We can get the government to fund her. I know a few people in government who can help."

"You rascal. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what? I had to find out first whether or not you have any use for her expertise or not. If she does a good job on this, we can probably hire her as a consultant for a few years."

"So you think you can spring the old Mr. Tightfist for fifty grand?"

"I'll see what I can do."

"I sure hope so, Sam. We need a breakthrough soon, especially if those Japanese are already looking to this."

"Relax, Curtis. When can you get your team together to brief me?"

"How about this Friday? We are in the middle of a major simulation right now, and I don't want to distract them."

"Fine. I'll get the money."

As soon as Curtis left, Sam picked up the phone, called the Accounting, and told them to make the check for $50,000. The V.P. protested that it was highly unusual to authorize such a large amount without proper paperwork. Sam told him that he will get his paperwork soon, but he needed the check by the end of the week. Then he called Sandra.

"Hi there."

"Sam! Did you get the proposal?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And what?"

"What did you think of it? Can you fund it?"

"You asked for a lot of money, Sandra."

"But I have to support a student, Sam. Plus my salary. So what do you think?"

"Well...." Sam decided to tease her a bit.

"What? What? Don't torture me like this, Sam. I haven't slept all weekend, worrying about this proposal. Can you fund me or not?"

"Well, I have to get all kinds of approvals before I can say anything, Sandra. Fifty grand is a lot of money for proving a theory."

Sandra was dejected. "I am sorry, Sam. I know it's a long shot. But you are my last hope of proving the validity of my theory. If I can prove it, I can go to NSF and get more money. But they won't fund me unless I have some proof and some industrial support."

"What about those Japanese people who were standing around your poster? Have they contacted you?"

"Yes, they did. But they can't fund me until Fall this year. I need to get some new data before that to meet the proposal deadline for NSF. Can't you do something, Sam? Please, I need help now. I really do."

"All right, Sandra. You will have your fifty grand next week."

"What? Damn you, Sam. You were torturing me all this time, weren't you? I will get you for this. But thanks, Sam. Oh, I could kiss you."

"You'll get your chance. Congratulations, Professor Richards. You have just won an industrial research grant for $50,000 to prove your theory. But there is a condition."

"I know, I know. I'll keep my promise. Just get here."

"Now who has a one-track mind? The condition I was going to mention is that we will expect to have a confidentiality agreement with you, so that the results of the study we sponsor are not made public without our approval. Do you expect any problems from your administration on that?"

"Gosh, I don't know. We are a university, Sam. We are expected to publish our work. I don't know if I can prevent that. I mean, the students need to get publications, and ......."

"I know about that, Sandra. But I have good reasons to ask for a confidentiality agreement. I will explain it to you when we meet. In the meanwhile, please find out from the powers-that-be if the university will have a problem signing and industrial R&D agreement with us under these conditions. I hope they don't cause problems, for your sake."

"I will find out. Oh, I am so excited. When I are you coming here, Sam? Let me get my calendar. I want to plan this thing nicely for you."

Sam laughed, and said, "Just relax. Can we do the "official" stuff in a day?"

"Oh, yes. I want to get that over with as quickly as possible, because I want you to spend the weekend with us without any official headaches."

"Okay. I will call you back when my trip is fixed up. Give me some suggestions for a decent hotel, Sandra."

"Well, there is a Holiday Inn right across from the University."

"That's good. Bye now. I have to run." He hung up before Sandra could say anything.

Chapter III

Sandra was nervous. She knew she had to make a good impression on Sam about her lab and the work they were doing. She had grilled her students to make sure the presentations would be professional. She had thought about picking Sam up at the hotel, but decided against it. She did not want him to know how nervous she was, and she knew her legs would turn into putty on seeing him. She kept recalling the intense session that had enjoyed at the conference, and was sure she would betray her excitement and nervousness to him. She paced her office, waiting for Sam to show up.

She heard footsteps outside her office. Quickly she looked at her watch. Sam was on time. She opened the door and saw Sam walking towards her office, escorted by the department secretary.

"There you are, sir. This is Professor Richards," the secretary offered.

"Thanks, Myrna. We have met before," Sandra smiled at the secretary. The secretary nodded, and with a slight bow to Sam, she turned back. Sandra looked at Sam, her eyes sparkling with joy and excitement.

"Hello, Sam. How are you? Did you have a good trip?"

She stepped aside to let Sam pass through the door, and closed the door behind him. Sam found himself standing in the middle of a crowded office, books, papers and files scattered everywhere. There was hardly enough room for them to stand without bumping into each other.

As Sandra turned to go to her desk, Sam grabbed her arm, and said, "Can we dispense with the formalities, and be friends? You are nervous."

Sandra let herself be pulled into his arms, and said, "Yes. I want to make a good impression on you."

"You already have, Sandra. Let me collect my down payment, before your students show up."

Sandra looked at him quizzically, but her look turned to surprise as Sam pulled her chip up and kissed her on the mouth. She flung her arms around him, and kissed back. For a few moments, they kissed fervently, as Sam caressed her back and gently squeezed her butt through her skirt. Sandra quickly pushed him away, and slipped out of his arms.

"We better behave professionally, Sam. There will be plenty of time for that this weekend."

"You are right. I am sorry. You look stunning. I couldn't help it."

"Don't apologize. I wanted it as much as you did. Let's go to the lab. My students are waiting to present their work."

"All right. You show the way."

He opened the door, and they headed down to the laboratory, where three of Sandra's students were waiting for them to arrive.

The next few hours went just as Sandra had hoped. She had a feeling that Sam would not go into too many details of the work she was doing. From her earlier conversations with him, she had gathered that he was not exactly an expert in this area, although he was quite knowledgeable. She knew that her real test would come when she would have to make a presentation to the Falconcrest scientists.

During lunch with her and her students, Sam talked to the students at length about their work, and their understanding of the potential applications of the simulation process. Sandra realized that he knew much more about the subject than she had thought and felt relieved that he did not grill her in front of the students when they were in the lab. She wondered if he had fallen for her charms, blushing at the thought. She decided to tease her husband about her idea.

After lunch, Sandra excused herself, since she had to attend a faculty meeting in the afternoon. Sam spent the rest of the day with her students in the lab. He asked one of the students to run a simulation for him, using the parameters Curtis had given him. He was grateful for the opportunity to talk to the students without Sandra, because he had been distracted by her proximity. He found himself getting quite engrossed in the work the students were doing, and had a good time. He learned quite a bit about her theory and her approach. He realized that she could be of immense help to his company in taking the lead in the market against the Japanese company. He decided to make a few phone calls to his friends in the government on his return, to make sure that she got her funding.

Sandra returned from her meeting, to find Sam waiting for her in her office.

"How did it go?"

"Great. You've got some sharp kids there. I learned a lot."

"Oh, Sam. I am so glad. I was a nervous wreck this morning. Are you sure you are not being kind to me? I mean, are you sure you can use my program?"

"That's what I am paying you fifty grand to prove. I sure hope it works. What I have seen so far hasn't made me change my mind."

"You are so sweet, Sam. I won't let you down. Shall we go?"

"Where?"

"Home. You are spending the weekend with us, remember?"

"Yes, I know. But I still have my room."

"Didn't I tell you not to book it for more than one night?"

"No. That never came up. Are you sure about this? Three's a crowd, you know."

"Don't worry about that. We already have three at home. You will be the fourth. That makes it perfect."

"Who's the third person?" Sam asked as they got into the elevator.

"My cousin is visiting. We hadn't seen her since her husband passed away a couple of years ago. She is some fifteen years older than me, and used to baby-sit me when I was a little girl. She called last week, and said she wanted to visit us for a few days."

"Well, I am not sure I want to spoil your family gathering."

"Don't worry, Sam," Sandra punched him on the arm, "Kathy is a great gal. You will like her. In fact, since she is closer to your age, you two might find lots of common interests."

"What's that supposed to mean? How old is she anyway? I am not that old."

"Who said you are old? But look, Ken and I are like thirty-something, although I haven't hit the big three-oh yet. You are like more in the forties, right? And so is Kathy. I think she's about 42 or 43. Looks older than that because she is not in as good a shape as before, but she is still a very attractive woman. You will like her."

"Okay, so what are we doing now?" Sam asked as they got in Sandra's car.

"We'll check you out of the hotel and go home. Then we will relax for the evening. When is your flight back?"

"Sunday morning."

"Oh, goodie. So you will spend two nights with us. That's great. Doesn't your wife mind you traveling so much?"

"Of course she does. But that's part of the job. She understands."

"Does she know about your flings on the road?"

"What flings?"

"You know what I am talking about, Sam Mahlinger! So she doesn't know. I guess I can't blame you. Would she be upset if she knew."

"What do you think, Sandra? Of course she would be upset. May be she suspects, but she hasn't said anything. Why did you bring that up?"

"Because I am going to seduce you right in front of my husband this weekend, that's why." Sandra burst out laughing, when she saw the look on Sam's face.

"You are a tease, you know that, professor? How do you keep your students at arm's length with your overpowering sexuality?"

"Do I look sexy to you in this outfit?"

"You would look sexy in any outfit, Sandra."

"That's a nice compliment, Sam. Thank you. Are you aroused by my "sexuality?"

"You know damn well, I am."

"I am flattered, Sam, " Sandra patted his knee, as she made a sharp right turn into the driveway of her home. The sudden movement threw Sam against her, forcing her hand to slip between his legs. Her fingers encountered his arousal, and she smiled at him.

"I think you are telling the truth," she winked and gently patted the bulge forming in his pants. "Here we are."

She got out of the car, and headed for the front door. Sam pulled his bags out of the back seat and followed her.

"Make yourself comfortable. I'll see where Kathy is. If you want to change and freshen up, your bedroom is second on your right down the hallway." Sandra disappeared to the left.

Sam walked down the hallway and pushed the door of the second bedroom open. He found Kathy taking a nap in bed, a book lying across her chest. He noticed that she was a little on the plump side, with dark brown hair framing her face. She was fast asleep, and her steady breathing was causing her chest to move up and down rhythmically. She turned slightly on her side, and the book slid off to the floor. Sam quietly backed out, but not before catching a glimpse of her partially covered thighs, which parted slightly to reveal the white panty she was wearing. He turned back and walked down to the first bedroom, opening the door gingerly. It was empty. He put his stuff down, and took out the toiletry kit. He found the bathroom across the hallway, and went in, closing the door behind him.

He wondered what this attractive young professor had planned for him, but he was certain it was probably going to be exciting. He changed into casual clothes, brushed his teeth, and freshened up. Then he went back into the living room, and sat down in a comfortable sofa, picking a magazine from the side table.

A few minutes went by, and Sandra breezed in, wearing a floral print dress that just managed to reach her knees. Her figure was well-accentuated by the rather tight-fitting dress, and Sam noticed that it was transparent enough to reveal her curves in the light coming from the large window behind her. She came and sat down across from him, unmindful of the fact that her dress did not cover her legs well enough to prevent a glimpse of her light blue panties. Sam looked at the enticing view of her inner thighs and then raised his eyes to her face.

"What would you like to drink?"

"God, you are brazen," Sam exclaimed.

"What? I thought you might like a fresh cold drink or something. Aren't you thirsty?"

"Yes. But look at you. The way you came in and sat down, offering me a nice view of your womanly charms, I wasn't sure what you had in mind."

"Aha! So you are the one with a dirty mind. What did you think I was offering you to drink? My pussy?"